Draft National Planning Policy Framework Has Missed A Trick, Says ESA
27 July 2011
The Environmental Services Association (ESA) has brought focus on the fact that there was little mention of waste infrastructure in the draft National Planning Policy Framework document published yesterday (26 July 2011)
The draft National Planning Policy Framework sets out the government's economic, environmental and social planning policies for England and provides a framework within which local people and councils can produce local and neighbourhood plans.
The importance of "sustainable development" within the planning policy is hoped to benefit companies in the waste management sector, who have encountered many delays and costs in getting waste management facilities approved.
Matthew Farrow, ESA's director of policy, said: "The emphasis in the draft NPPF on the presumption in favour of sustainable development and on local authorities responding to the development needs of business is welcome. The accent on local authorities being expected to work together is also valuable and reflects points made by ESA and others."
With the industry needing to invest up to £20bn in new waste facilities, Farrow claimed, "the Government has missed a trick in choosing to leave out any meaningful reference to the role of waste management infrastructure and refer instead to the forthcoming National Waste Management Plan (NWMP)."
The National Planning Policy Framework should make "explicit" reference to the role that waste management infrastructure had in meeting the government's goals and EU targets, he added, saying it also needed to make "crystal clear" that despite the renewed focus on waste prevention there will be a need for a substantial increase in waste management facilities as our reliance on landfill reduces.
He said: "We will be urging the Government to put this right in the final version of the Framework."
The draft framework document states: "This framework does not contain specific waste policies, since national waste planning policy will be published alongside the National Waste Management Plan for England. However, local authorities preparing waste plans should have regard to policies in this Framework."
The plan is expected to be published in the spring of 2012.
"Buzz Words"
Commenting on the Government's National Planning Framework by the Department of Communities and Local Government, containing planning guidance for local authorities, Friends of the Earth campaigner Paul de Zylva said:
"The right planning decisions are crucial to protect our green and pleasant land - but Ministers have come up with a developers' charter which puts the interests of business ahead of people and the environment.
"Behind some nice buzz words the planning system is now so loaded in favour of building projects that it puts local communities and environmental protection in jeopardy.
"The Government must radically rewrite its policy and the Localism Bill to ensure we build a safe, green future that cuts carbon, protects wildlife and benefits people."
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